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Back to school is almost here – if not already – and you might be trying to figure out what healthy lunches and snacks you should pack for your children and how to pack them safely. Summer may have been easier to control what they eat and how they eat them. But what about school lunches?
Don’t worry; here comes Mighty Nest to the rescue. Might Nest has done all the research to bring you the best collection of safe products that are free from known toxic ingredients. All products are free of lead, BPA, PVC, phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, melamine, chemical flame retardants and more. I love that they choose products made of non-leaching materials such as glass, food grade stainless steel, silicone, natural wood , bamboo, organic cotton and natural rubber. So you can see, they are VERY PASSIONATE about keeping our families safe and I LOVE that!
With the school year fast approaching I want my boys to get the school year off to the right start by taking healthy foods to school. I spend a lot of time making and researching the best possible foods for my boys. Therefore, I wouldn’t want to send those healthy foods in unhealthy plastic bags or containers filled with chemicals. This is why I am so thankful for companies like the Mighty Nest that make it super easy for parents to make the right choices for their children by carrying only products parents would approve.
Mighty Nest’s Special Offer for Green Sisterhood Readers
Mighty Nest has numerous products geared towards babies, kids, adults, and the home. But the company is sponsoring a generous “Mighty Nest for School” program that gives 15% of every purchase you make to school of your choice! How generous is that? But wait, your school can enter the Mighty Nest Challenge to win more prizes! Read more about it HERE. It’s easy to enter your school for a chance to win!
If that’s not generous enough, the company is also offering 10% DISCOUNT on purchases until Labor Day to all Green Sisterhood readers! Click the ad on the right, use the code, “GREEN10″ and receive 10% on all your purchases! You receive 10% OFF on safe products for your kids and your school receives 15% of your purchase! Win Win! What better way to help your school while keeping your children healthy by using these attractive and very functional lunch gear!
Use code “GREEN10″ to get 10% on your purchase!
Now let me tell you about their reusable lunch gear I received to review.
Milkdot Insulated Lunch Box
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What I love about the Milkdot insulated lunchbox is that it’s big enough to fit reusable containers. I’ve always had issues fitting all the containers with other lunchboxes.
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This silicone covered glass water bottle by Lifefactory is great for strengthening hand muscles in little hands because the top screws off completely and there is no spout, which I love because it can’t trap any unwanted germs.
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The inside of the LunchSkin snack pouch is grease and moisture proof which is perfect for healthy but messy snacks, such as homemade granola bars. Here is a simple granola bar recipe that my kids love.
Finntastic Granola Bars
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You’ll Need:
2 cups quick rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup dried apricots
1/2 sunflower seeds
1/2 raw almonds ground in a coffee grinder
2 eggs
1/2 cup of dried bananas ground in coffee grinder
1/2 carbo chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup of sunflower oil
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup of flaxseed meal
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line 9×11 pan in one direction with parchment paper or foil, allowing it to go up the opposing sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper or foil and the exposed pan.
- Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, oil, and honey.
- Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly.
- Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan. (A piece of plastic wrap can help with this, as you press down on the back of it.)
- Bake the bars for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges — don’t be afraid to get a little color on the tops too. They’ll still seem soft and almost under baked when you press into the center of the pan but do not worry, they’ll set completely once completely cool.
- Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack, then lift out of foil. Once cooled, use a serrated knife (or bench knife) to cut the bars into squares. If bars seem crumbly, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes which will fully set. Then cut them cold.
- To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.
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We’ve covered snacks, drinks and how our kids will carry their healthy lunches but what about napkins? Did you know that the average American uses 6 paper napkins a day – that’s 2200 a year per person? One reusable napkin keeps more than 350 paper napkins out of the waste stream. The reusable napkins from Mighty Nest can be used as napkin or even a place mat. I think it’s so important for children to have proper table manners. By using a cloth napkin and placemat children are more apt to contain their lunch to one spot instead of having it all over the place.
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I love stainless steel containers to hold a child’s lunch. They are safe and do not leach chemicals like plastics. The Lunchbotstainless Steel Thermal Insulated Container is perfect for pasta, soups or stews. One of our favorite soups for lunch is Carrot Ginger Soup.
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Don’t bother with plastic utensils when you can purchase stainless steel cutlery that fits perfectly in their lunch containers. These utensils are easy for their little hands.
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I am REALLY excited about the Lunchbot Stainless Steel 3 Part container. The whole lunch can be in one container – YAY! I don’t know about your kids, but mine are notorious for leaving their containers behind so the less they have to carry the better.
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Lunches need to stay cold, but ice packs can have nasty chemicals that could possibly leak out onto your child’s food. This ice pack is BPA, Lead and Phthalate free and the cover is made from recycled bottles.
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I have a lot of healthy lunchbox recipes over at O’Boy! Organic but I typically like to use leftovers from the dinner the night before. By doing this, you reduce your food waste, and you don’t need to make the same boring lunch meal day in and day out for your kids. Here is a sample of what I would make for my boys during the week for their school lunch.
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GIVEAWAY
Now that you heard all the amazing things about the lunch kit that the Mighty Nest offers, don’t you want a set for your child? Don’t worry. Mighty Nest has offered to sponsor a generous giveaway of these 8 fabulous products, worth over $120, so you have an opportunity to try these products out yourself – just in time for the first day of school! The Giveaway will close on Sunday August 18th, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. By entering your name and other information you acknowledge that you have read and agree to our Giveaway Rules.
Can’t wait until the giveaway ends? Remember you can receive 10% OFF on all your purchases if you click the ad above and use the code “GREEN10″ until Labor Day.
Use code “GREEN10″ to get 10% on your purchase!
Good Luck Everyone!
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Disclosure: This review and giveaway was written by Trina from O’Boy! Organic. Trina was given Mighty Nest products for the purpose of the review and was compensated for her participation in this campaign, but all opinions are her own and not of Green Sisterhood, LLC.